The ‘Godfather of A.I.’ Now Warns of Its Dangers

Yoshua Bengio is one of the most cited researchers in artificial intelligence (AI) and is recognized as a pioneer in creating artificial neural networks and deep learning algorithms.

Together with Yann LeCun, the chief AI scientist at Meta, and Geoffrey Hinton, a former Google AI researcher, Bengio was honored with the 2018 Turing Award, widely regarded as the “Nobel” of computing, for their pivotal contributions to the field.

Bengio, often called one of the “godfathers” of AI, is leading an international panel assessing the risks of advanced AI. He’s concerned about the potential harm to society and unforeseen risks to humans from AI technology.

“It’s tough to oppose your church, but it’s impossible to deny the potential for catastrophic outcomes as AI advances,” said Yoshua Bengio. “I feel a responsibility due to my recognition for my scientific work, so I need to speak out. Some crucial technical solutions are part of the larger political solution to ensure AI construction doesn’t harm people.”

“Companies are eager to adopt these technical solutions, but currently, we are unsure how to do so. They are still aiming to achieve the predicted quadrillions of profits from AI reaching human-level intelligence. We are in a challenging position and need to find scientific answers.”

One analogy I frequently use is that humanity is like a driver on an unfamiliar road with dense fog ahead. We are headed into the fog, potentially on a treacherous mountain pass that we cannot see clearly. What should we do? Should we keep driving ahead, hoping for the best, or should we work on developing technological solutions?

The political solution advises caution: slow down if unsure. The technical solution suggests finding ways to see through uncertainty and adding safeguards to the vehicle. People may think these risks are science fiction, but they’re real. AI is already being used in the U.S. election campaign and will likely increase.

Remember: A recent study showed that ChatGPT-4 is better than humans at persuasion, and the new version will be even more powerful. There are also concerns about how these systems could aid terrorists, with the risk increasing from low to medium. Looking forward, as we approach superintelligence, there are two major risks to consider.

First is the loss of human control. If superintelligent machines have a self-preservation objective, their goal could be to destroy humanity, so we couldn’t turn them off. If machines are smart enough to have specific capabilities, what could make them dangerous to us?

Could they be used for cyber attacks, designing biological weapons, or persuading people? Do they have the ability to copy themselves onto other machines or the internet against the wishes of their developers?

If the first scenario doesn’t happen, the other danger is that humans could use the power of AI to establish a worldwide dictatorship. This could take milder forms and exist on a spectrum, but the technology will give significant power to whoever controls it. If the West is cautious and slows down, China could leap forward and use the technology against us.

It’s important to address this concern thoughtfully. Simply trying to outpace each other without caution will only lead to an arms race. Instead, we should aim for a middle ground by engaging in dialogue with the Chinese.

By reaching a mutual understanding, we can work together to avoid major catastrophes. This involves signing treaties and developing verification technologies to ensure that neither party engages in anything dangerous. This approach allows us to proceed cautiously while working together for the benefit of the planet.

Revelations 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Luke 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and diseases; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

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